Republican Governor Rick Perry of Texas swept back into office in this month's election only to face a $25 billion deficit, proportionally even larger than California's. Wednesday, on To the Point, how did an economic boom become a fiscal disaster? What about Perry's promise to provide a fix without federal help or new taxes.

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Hillary Clinton was on Capitol Hill today, advocating for the new START nuclear arms treaty negotiated by President Obama. It must be ratified by the Senate but, yesterday Republican Whip John Kyle of Arizona said it won’t happen this year.

Two weeks ago, Texas’ Republican Governor Rick Perry won an unprecedented fourth term and his party captured two thirds of the Legislature. Now voters are being told what they never heard during the election campaign: state government may face a 25-billion dollar shortfall.

US Senator Lisa Murkowski lost this year’s bid for re-nomination as a Republican from Alaska. She was opposed by Sara Palin, who’s candidate was Joe Miller. But Murkowski stormed back, and it now appears she has won only the second write-in election to the United States Senate—the other being the late Republican Strom Thurmond from South Carolina.